Hello, and welcome to my blog!

Here, I’ll be sharing my journey as both a pet portrait artist and a volunteer with Guide Dogs UK. You’ll find posts about my daily adventures at the drawing table, insights into the tools and techniques I use, and stories about the wonderful pets I have the joy of capturing in art. Along the way, I’ll also share thoughts on creativity, inspiration, and the little things that keep me motivated.

I’ll also be sharing our Guide Dogs Puppy Raiser journey with you. My husband and I will be opening our home to a beautiful Labrador cross puppy for over a year. During this time, we’ll be guiding her training, helping her with socialisation, and introducing her to new environments and experiences. We have no doubt it will be a rewarding and joyful adventure, filled with plenty of heart-warming and memorable stories to share along the way!

If you'd like to, you can subscribe to my blog via the form at the bottom of this page. I hope you’ll enjoy following along!

Guide Dogs Puppy Raiser Journey

Posts about my experience as a Puppy Raiser with the charity Guide Dogs. Writing about the day to day experience of this volunteer role: the fun, challenges and learnings.

Puppy Paws and Christmas Reflections

As the festive season unfolds, the past few weeks with Ulani have been full of learning, laughter, muddy paws, and moments of reflection. From joyful chaos at puppy class to peaceful walks and growing confidence, it’s been a time of both celebration and adjustment. Alongside the excitement of raising a young puppy, this season has also carried a deeper poignancy as we navigate our first Christmas without Vesper — reminding us of the profound role dogs play in our lives, and t

Guide Dogs Puppy Raiser Journey

Nicola Bird

2 days ago6 min read

Milestones, Mud, and Meaningful Moments: A Puppy Update

Hello everyone, I hope you’re keeping warm and enjoying the start of the festive season. It’s hard to believe we’re only a few weeks away from Christmas. Time is absolutely flying in our household—I’m lucky if I know what day it is at the moment! Things still feel a little chaotic here, but we’re making steady progress. Ulani is now 18 weeks old! She had a weigh-in at the vets this week and is officially over 17kg. We can no longer scoop her up quite so easily, and when we’re

Guide Dogs Puppy Raiser Journey

Nicola Bird

Dec 84 min read

Ulani at 15 Weeks: Growing Fast, Learning Lots, and Keeping Us on Our Toes

Guide Dogs Puppy Raiser Journey

Nicola Bird

Nov 173 min read

Vet Trips, Puppy Class, and Our First Garden Centre Visit!

Read about our future Guide Dog's first adventures at the vets, a puppy class and a garden centre and cafe!

Guide Dogs Puppy Raiser Journey

Nicola Bird

Nov 43 min read

Week 2 – Training Commences and Our First Puppy Development Adviser (PDA) Visit!

It’s been another lively week as we continue settling Ulani into her new home and establishing a routine. She’s becoming more relaxed and is now sleeping through the night without any toilet trips — a small victory that feels huge ! Her crate has been a real success; having her own cosy space with a blanket and a few toys has proven invaluable. We’re usually greeted at 6:30am by our furry alarm clock, which conveniently matches our usual wake-up time — so we’re feeling slight

Guide Dogs Puppy Raiser Journey

Nicola Bird

Oct 193 min read